This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. P2000-35650, filed Jun. 27, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly, to a multi-domain liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for minimizing a disclination area, thereby improving picture quality.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a first substrate 11, a second substrate 21, and a liquid crystal sealed between the first and second substrates 11 and 21 according to the related art. More specifically, the first substrate 11 has R, G, B color filter 13 for representing colors, a black matrix 15 for blocking light from being transmitted to the portion other than pixel regions of the second substrate, and a common electrode 17 for applying a common voltage Vcom to a panel, which are formed thereon.
The second substrate 21 has gate lines 23 and data lines 25 arranged thereon in matrix to define the pixel regions. Each pixel region includes a thin film transistor (TFT) and a pixel electrode.
Currently, one of the most widely used the liquid crystal displays is a twisted nematic (TN) mode LCD. The TN-mode LCD is constructed in a manner that electrodes are respectively formed on the two substrates and liquid crystal molecules filled between them are twisted in a spiral shape, parallel to the substrates and having a predetermined pitch.
In this structure, a voltage is applied to the electrodes to drive a liquid crystal director. However, the TN-mode LCD has poor contrast because light is not completely blocked in an OFF-state. Furthermore, the TN-mode LCD generates a gray inversion so that a contrast ratio varies with angles to invert luminance of medium gray, thereby causing a difficulty in obtaining stabilized images. Moreover, the TN-mode LCD does not have satisfactory viewing angle.
A variety of research has been conducted for solving the narrow viewing angle problem of the LCDs. The research includes a film-compensated mode for compensating a viewing angle with a compensation film, a multi-domain mode in which pixels are divided into multiple domains and each domain has a different main viewing angle direction to compensate the viewing angle, an in-plane switching mode in which two electrodes are placed on the same substrate to generate a horizontal electric field, and an OCB (optically compensated birefringence) mode.
Meanwhile, a vertical alignment (VA) mode LCD uses a negative liquid crystal so that dielectric constant anisotropy is negative and a vertical alignment film. In a VA LCD, the longer sides of the liquid crystal molecules are arranged perpendicular to the plane of the alignment film when no voltage is applied, and a polarizing axis of a polarizer attached onto the substrate is located perpendicular to the longer sides of the liquid crystal molecules, to represent normally black mode.
On the other hand, when a voltage is applied to the LCD, the longer sides of the molecules are moved from the direction perpendicular to the alignment film plane toward the alignment film plane to transmit the light according to the characteristic that the negative liquid crystal molecules are orientated and inclined with respect to the electric field.
The VA-mode LCD is superior to the TN-mode LCD in terms of a contrast ratio, a response time, and so on. Furthermore, in case where a direction in which the liquid crystal molecules fall is divided into a predetermined number of multiple directions and a compensated film is employed, a viewing angle can be effectively realized.
Moreover, there have been recently proposed PVA (patterned vertical alignment) and MVA (multi-domain vertical alignment) in which structures such as side electrodes and ribs or slits are formed on the substrate to distort the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer, instead of alignment treatment, thereby locating the liquid crystal molecular director in a desired direction.
FIGS. 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views for explaining problems of the TN LCD while FIGS. 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views for explaining an alignment division according to a rubbing process. Although the TN LCD among TFT LCDs has advantages of excellent contrast and satisfactory color reproducibility, it has a disadvantage of a narrow viewing angle.
Referring to FIG. 2A, in a normally white mode TN LCD, liquid crystal molecules 114 are aligned in the same direction with a slight inclination (about 1 to 5xc2x0) when no voltage is applied between two substrates 112 and 113 of the LCD. In this state, light is seen nearly white in any azimuth. In case of application of a voltage higher than a threshold value, as shown in FIG. 2C, intermediate liquid crystal molecules 114, except for those located near the substrates 112 and 113, are aligned in a vertical direction. Incident linearly polarized light is therefore seen blocked, but not twisted. At this time, light obliquely incident on a screen (panel) has the direction of polarization thereof twisted to some extent because it passes obliquely through the liquid crystal molecules 114 aligned in the vertical direction. The light is therefore seen halftone (gray) but not perfect black.
As shown in FIG. 2B, in the state in which an intermediate voltage lower than the voltage applied in the state shown in FIG. 2C is applied, the liquid crystal molecules 114 near the alignment layers are aligned in a horizontal direction, but the liquid crystal molecules 114 in the middle parts erect themselves halfway. The birefringent characteristic of the liquid crystal is lost to some extent. This causes transmittance to deteriorate and cause halftone (gray).
However, this refers only to the light incident perpendicularly on the liquid crystal panel. The obliquely incident light is seen differently, that is, light is seen differently depending on whether it is seen from the left or right side of the drawing. As illustrated, the liquid crystal molecules 114 are aligned mutually parallel relative to the light propagating from the light below to left above.
The liquid crystal hardly exerts a birefringence effect. Therefore, when the panel is seen from the left side, it is seen black. By contrast, the liquid crystal molecules 114 are aligned vertically relative to light propagating from light below to right above. The liquid crystal exerts a great birefringence effect relative to incident light, and the incident light is twisted. This results in nearly white display. Thus, the most critical drawback of the TN LCD is that a display state varies with a viewing angle.
It is known that a viewing angle of the liquid crystal display device (LCD) in the TN mode can be improved by setting orientation directions of the liquid crystal molecules inside pixels to a plurality of mutually different directions. Generally, the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules (pretilt angles) which keep in contact with a substrate surface in the TN mode are restricted by the direction of a rubbing treatment applied to the alignment film.
The rubbing treatment is a process in which the surface of the alignment film is rubbed in one direction by a cloth such as rayon, so that the liquid crystal molecules are orientated in the rubbing direction. Therefore, a viewing angle can be improved by making a different rubbing direction inside the pixels.
FIGS. 3A to 3C show a method of making a different rubbing direction inside pixels. As shown in the drawing, an alignment film 122 is formed on a glass substrate 116. For simplicity, electrodes and other elements are omitted from the drawing. The alignment film 122 is then bought into contact with a rubbing roll 201 to perform a rubbing treatment in one direction.
Next, a photoresist is applied to the alignment film 122 and a predetermined pattern is exposed and developed by photolithography. As a result, a layer 202 of the photoresist which is patterned is formed as shown in FIG. 3B. Then, the alignment film 122 is brought into contact with the rubbing roll 201 that is rotating to the opposite direction to the previous rubbing, so that only the open portions of the pattern are rubbed.
In this way, a plurality of regions that are subjected to the rubbing treatment in different directions are formed inside the pixel, and the orientation directions of the liquid crystal become plural inside the pixel. Incidentally, the rubbing treatment can be done in arbitrarily different directions when the alignment film 122 is rotated relative to the rubbing roll 201.
Although the rubbing treatment has gained a wide application, it is the treatment that rubs and consequently damages the surface of the alignment film. In addition, problems related to dust are likely to occur.
A method, which forms a concave-convex pattern on an electrode, is known as another method of restricting a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules in the TN mode. The liquid crystal molecules in the proximity of the electrodes are orientated along the surface having concave-convex pattern.
Meantime, in the VA LCD, in which a vertical alignment and a negative liquid crystal are applied, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is divided in order to improve a viewing angle. In this case, it is preferable to increase the viewing angle corresponding to an IPS mode, while maintaining a contrast ratio and a response time as high as those of the conventional LCD.
It is possible to make domains in the VA mode uniform by arranging the liquid crystal molecules aligned obliquely at the initial stage to be uniformly orientated in multiple directions in each pixel when an electric field is applied thereto. Here, the domain at least on one substrate must be divided and an inclined surface should be formed on the substrate having the divided domains. The inclined surface includes one slanted nearly perpendicular to the substrate. The vertical alignment film is not required to be rubbed in this case.
The liquid crystal molecules are aligned perpendicular to the substrate when no voltage is applied to the VA LCD. However, they have a slope relative to the substrate due to the inclined surface. Upon application of the voltage, the liquid crystal molecules are tilted due to intensity of the electric field. In this instance, the tilt angle due to the electric field has a rotation direction of 360xc2x0 because the electric field is created perpendicular to the substrate.
The conventional LCD is explained below with reference to the accompanying drawing. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional LCD that drives a liquid crystal using an auxiliary electrode electrically isolated from the pixel electrode without alignment of the liquid crystal.
Referring to FIG. 4, the conventional LCD includes first and second substrates, a plurality of data lines and gate lines arranged in an intersecting manner on the first substrate to divide the first substrate into plurality of pixel regions. Further, the LCD includes a thin film transistor consisting of a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, an ohmic contact layer, and source and drain electrodes, formed at each pixel region on the first substrate. The LCD further has a protecting layer 37 formed on the overall surface of the first substrate, a pixel electrode 13 formed on the protective layer 37 connected to the drain electrode, and an auxiliary electrode 21 formed on the gate insulating layer. The pixel electrode 13 is partially superposed on the auxiliary electrode 21. FIG. 4 shows a unit pixel.
An opening area 27 of a common electrode 17 and the auxiliary electrode 21 formed around the pixel electrode 13 distort the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer to variously drive the liquid crystal molecules in the unit pixel. This means that a dielectric energy due to the distorted electric field locates the liquid crystal director in a desired direction when a voltage is applied to the LCD. However, the aforementioned conventional LCD has the following problems.
The common electrode requires an opening area in order to obtain a multi-domain effect. Thus, an additional process for patterning the common electrode is required in the fabrication process of the LCD. Furthermore, a degree of distortion of the electric field required for a domain division is weak, so that it takes a long period of time for which the liquid crystal director reaches stable state. Moreover, the strong electric field is applied between the pixel electrode and the auxiliary electrode to cause an abnormal alignment direction, thereby generating a disclination region. This decreases luminance and increases response time.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a multi-domain liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same that substantially obviates one or more of problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-domain liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same for improving luminance and response time.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a multi-domain liquid crystal display device having first and second substrates includes a pixel electrode over the first substrate, a side electrode surrounding the pixel electrode, a common electrode over the second substrate, a first dielectric structure on the common electrode, and at least one second dielectric structure over the second substrate.
In another aspect of the present invention, a multi-domain liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates, a side electrode having first and second sides facing into each other on the first substrate, the side electrode having third and fourth sides which respectively l connects one end of the first side and the second side, a pixel electrode in a region defined by the side electrode, a first dielectric structure diagonally located in the region, at least one second dielectric structure over the second substrate, wherein the second dielectric structure is located substantially at the center of each side of the side electrode, and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
In another aspect of the present invention, a multi-domain liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate having a gate line, a data line, a plurality of thin film transistors and pixel regions thereon, a plurality of pixel electrodes at the pixel regions, a side electrode on the first substrate, an insulating layer on the side electrode including the first substrate, a second substrate having a color filter and a common electrode thereon, a first dielectric structure on the common electrode and located in a diagonal direction over the pixel electrode, and at least one second dielectric structure on the common electrode, wherein the second dielectric structure is located substantially at the center of each side of the side electrode.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of fabricating a multi-domain liquid crystal display having first and second substrates includes forming a side electrode on the first substrate, forming an insulating layer on the side electrode including the first substrate, forming a pixel electrode on the insulating layer, forming a common electrode over the second substrate, forming a first dielectric structure on the common electrode, wherein the first dielectric structure is located in a diagonal direction over the pixel electrode, forming at least one second dielectric structure on the common electrode, wherein the second dielectric structure is located substantially at the center of each side of the side electrode, and forming a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.